BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 28. A panel session titled "Museums and Heritage Sites as Spaces for Intercultural Dialogue" has been conducted within the framework of the 7th World Forum on Intercultural Dialogue in Baku on Wednesday, Trend’s correspondent reports from the event.
The panel brought together scholars, cultural professionals, and policymakers to deepen the understanding of the principles of intercultural dialogue within museums and heritage sites, and to support their practical application.
In her remarks, Head of the State Service for the Protection, Development, and Restoration of Cultural Heritage under the Ministry of Culture, Sabina Hajiyeva, noted that Azerbaijan has served as a meeting point for religious traditions and cultures for centuries.
"In Azerbaijan, one can see churches, synagogues, and mosques situated side by side. This reflects the reality of the fact just mentioned," she said.
Hajiyeva mentioned that there are 144 museums in Azerbaijan, each rich with compelling exhibits.
"Following the liberation of Karabakh and Eastern Zangezur from occupation, religious and historical monuments are being restored. This demonstrates that Azerbaijan approaches the preservation of tangible and intangible heritage with great care and commitment," she said.
Director of the Carpet Museum, Amina Malikova, added that modern museums must engage in a dialogue with visitors using a language that everyone can understand; for the Azerbaijan National Carpet Museum, that language is traditional art.
"We are accustomed to conducting this dialogue through the language of traditional art, the language of carpets. In Azerbaijan, we often say that every pattern contains a specific code, a kind of encoded alphabet that carries a message from our ancestors.
Modern museums differ significantly from those of the past and must take into account the expectations of visitors from different generations," she added.
Community Partnerships Manager at the British Museum, Jo-Anne Sunderland Bowe, noted that a museum should create an environment where people feel free to ask questions.
"People should be allowed to share their own experiences. At the same time, we must help promote cultural heritage. Museums are spaces where differences and examples of diverse cultures come together. For this reason, we should strive to increase interest in museums," she remarked.
Deputy Director of Interpretation, Learning, and Public Programs at the Smithsonian Museum, Nicole Dowd, emphasized the need to establish global partnerships involving museums, as this would make it possible to bring works of art to a wider range of communities.
The 7th World Forum on Intercultural Dialogue is taking place in Baku from October 27 through October 29, under the theme "Dialogue for a Shared Future: Building bridges in a Fractured World."
The forum is the primary international event of the 'Baku Process,' an initiative launched in 2008 at the proposal of the President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev. First organized in 2011, the forum brings together countries, international organizations, experts, and representatives of civil society to engage in intercultural dialogue and cooperation.
